


Kaboom

by NYWCgirl



Series: writer's month 2020 [7]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Explosions, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, army fic, injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:48:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25761610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: An alternative ending on the scene in S2E12 Mac + Jack where Mac finds the bomb in the village they are searching.
Series: writer's month 2020 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1861096
Comments: 8
Kudos: 40
Collections: Hurt/Comfort Bingo - Round 11





	Kaboom

‘Man, can we please stop this search, please. You've been looking all day and haven't found one single IED all day.’ Jack whines.

‘Thought that was a good thing.’

‘Not when there's hostiles running around all over the place with itchy trigger fingers. And believe you me, they do itch. So can we please just hit the road, Nostra-dumbass.’

‘Yeah, we can once I'm sure this place is clear. Satellite imagery says that there's lots of suspicious activity in the area.’

For some reason Mac gets more stubborn the more Jack whines.

‘Everything about this place is suspicious.’

_‘Snakebite One One, this is Snakebite Zero Three, over.’_

‘This is Snakebite One One, over.’

_‘What's your status? Over.’_

‘I just need one more hour.’

‘Negative on the devices, 03. The AO appears to be clear. Over.’

‘ _Good. Copy. Return to base. Over.’_

Finally, someone in command agrees with him.

‘Roger. Over.’

‘You heard him, slick. Orders are orders. Let's go.’

‘Last time I didn't follow my gut, someone died. There's a bomb here, I can feel it. And if we don't find it, someone else will, like another American soldier or an innocent or a child.’

‘Man, we've covered every inch of this armpit and ain't found diddly. Let's bounce! I ain't trying to spend my last 32 days before being discharged in the stockade because my annoying EOD tech would rather follow a hunch than follow orders!’

Mac wonders away from the Humvee following his gut feeling. When Jack looks where Mac was standing just a second ago, he is gone.

‘Son of a bitch!’

* * *

Mac is concentrating and Jack wants his attention again. He really needs to talk to their commander, he can´t work like this.

‘Damn it, Dalton, just give me a second.’

Mac starts when he pulled back and masked men start shouting in Arabic.

There are a gunshots and the men fall down on the ground. Mac looks up from the men to where he heard the gunshots in surprise.

‘Did you just take out four guys with two bullets?’

‘Yeah, I'm trying to conserve ammo. Now, we need to get on the same page, kid, and I mean right now. That is, if you want to keep breathing. Next time you wait for me to take my position before you go scampering off like that, you hear me?’

‘I, uh, I didn't think you were coming with me. Thanks.’

‘Yeah, you're welcome. To be honest with you, I don't think I have the patience to break in another EOD nerd. Man, it's a whip. Now, hurry up. Disarm that damn thing.’

Mac kneels down next to the taped up pan and opens his SAK. Carefully he starts to slice through the tape.

‘How are we doing, kid?’

‘Looks like a very rudimentary bomb, but it will do the trick. Did you call it in?’

 _‘_ Snakebite Zero Three, this is Snakebite One One, over. _’_

_‘This is Snakebite Zero Three, over.’_

‘We located an IED. Trying to dispose of it know.

_‘Good copy, over.’_

‘OK, Mac, let’s do it, put some bomb juice on it and blow it.’

‘Negative Dalton, we are in the middle of a village. We can´t risk it.’

‘Well, do something, I have a bad feeling about this, my gunshots must have attracted other insurgents.’

‘I am doing my best, I…’

Mac stops talking and Jack immediately searches him in his scope. Mac is sitting still and isn´t moving.’

‘What’s wrong kid, talk to me?’

‘I kind of triggered the bomb?’

‘You did what?’

‘I think you heard me the first time.’

Jack lets his breathe out through his nose. He can´t believe the kid is still so calm.

‘OK, so what do we do now?’

‘Well, if I let go of the lid, it will go kaboom.’

‘OK, that’s not good.’

‘Yeah, believe me, I know. OK, let me think.’

‘Hate to break it to you kid, but there are men coming your way and they aren’t here for a cup of coffee.’

‘Let them come to me.’

‘Kid, what are you planning?’

But before Jack can do anything the men already are in the alley. They are shouting at Mac to put his arms up, but Mac still doesn´t speak Arabic so he just looks at them with genuine confusion. And then everything goes really quick. Mac moves quicker than Jack can follow and there is a flash and a loud explosion.

‘MAC!’

The kid got himself blown up, what was he thinking. Jack packs his rifle and hurries down the buildings stairs. He runs towards the alley, gun drawn, still calling out Mac’s name. When he doesn´t get any response, he scans his surroundings. The men are dead, so much is clear, but there is no Mac between them. And then he sees a boat sticking out from behind a tick steel plate that is dislodged, it looks like it was a door or gate or something.

_‘_ Snakebite Zero Three, this is Snakebite One One, over. _’_

_‘This is Snakebite Zero Three, over.’_

‘My EOD is done, I need a medevac like yesterday at my last coordinates.’

_‘Good copy, over.’_

Jack tries to lift the plate, but it is heavy, but with a strength he didn´t know he had, he is able to lift it and push it the other way. Mac is laying on his stomach, face away from Jack. When jack kneels next to him, he can see blood seeping from the kid’s mouth and nose. He feels for a pulse, but it is there, too fast, but there. He can´t see any blood but he may be bleeding internally. There isn´t much he can do right now, so he starts babbling like he always does. It seems to calm Mac, so maybe he can on some level reach out to Mac and make sure he knows Jack is there for him.

When he hears the helicopter blades, he lets headquarters know they are here and within seconds a team rushes over. The medics have Mac on a backboard in no time.

‘Your keys.’ One of the soldiers calls out.

Jack looks at him, and nods, handing him the keys to the Humvee, ‘it is around that corner.’

The man nods and leaves, Jack jumping into the helicopter just before it takes off. Now that Mac is on his back, he can see the real damage. The kids face and side are covered in little cuts from debris and he is pale. Jack never understood how a kid from SoCal can be this pale, but he is, but now he is taking it to a whole other level.

His arm looks wrong as well and his uniform is scorched in several places. The medic is still checking vitals and pupil reaction.

‘Is he going to be alright?’

‘Let’s wait until he can get checked out, shall we?’ the medic calls back.

Jack nods, leaning back again. Mac is in capable hands so he will just have to wait and see.

* * *

Jack starts awake, but keeps still, his training over the years has engrained it. While remaining still, he checks his surroundings to see what woke him before he realizes he is sitting next to a hospital bed. He opens his eyes and comes to the conclusion Mac has woken him. The kid must have moved.

‘Hey Mac? Are you finally waking up, it is about time. You EOD manage to draw out everything.’

Mac’s eyes are moving under closed lids but it is clear he is trying to wake up.

‘Come on kid, you can do it. Open those baby blues for me.’

A frown appears and then a moan escapes.

The kid must be in considerable pain, so Jack pushes the nurse call button. A nurse comes in, smiling encouragingly when she sees Mac is waking up.

‘He is doing good, Jack.’

‘I know, but he is in pain. I can tell by that frown.’

‘OK? I will up his morphine drip, but it will make him drowsy.’

‘That’s better than being in pain.’

She nods, adjusting the drip and adding a note in Mac’s medical file.

It doesn´t take long before Mac stills again. How much he would have preferred that Mac would wake up, he doesn´t like to see the kid in pain.

* * *

Jack is walking down the hallway towards Mac’s room, when he hears moaning. Shit, Mac is waking up, just as he left to take a break. He hurries towards the room and as predicted, this is the moment Mac picked to wake up. His eyes are lazily trying to track what is happening and he is picking at the tape of the IV in his hand.

‘Leave that kid.’

Mac starts and looks up at Jack, the kick looks awful and those puppy dog eyes don´t make it better.’

‘Jack?’ he croaks and starts to cough.’

‘Take it easy kid. Don´t talk. Do you want some ice chips?’

Mac gives a small nod. Jack pushes the nurse call button again and the nurse who enters gives them a bright smile.

‘Good to see you awake, specialist Macgyver. How can I help?’

‘Can he have some ice chips?’

‘Sure, let me get some for you.’

Mac’s eyes start to droop already.

‘Hey Mac, can you keep your eyes open for just a bit longer.’

Mac lazily turns towards Jack.

‘You stayed.’ He whispers.

‘Of course I stayed, I’m your overwatch, where would I be?’

But before he can answer, Mac tries to move and the pain bust be bad, because he lets out a groan again.

‘I will ask to up your morphine when the nurse is back, OK.’

Mac nods, testimony how bad he must be hurting to admit it. Jack doesn´t know the kid very well, but it is clear he has issues. And one of them is not admitting to weakness, ever. When the nurse enters, Jack tells her about Mac’s pain while he feeds him an ice chip. But the moment the morphine hits Mac’s bloodstream, he is out.

But Jack is patient, he will take care of his bomb nerd.


End file.
